Kamiakin blanks Prosser

By Annie Fowler, Herald staff writer

KENNEWICK -- For the better part of three quarters, Prosser gave Kamiakin all it could handle in the first ever meeting between the two schools.

But two big plays by the Braves and two touchdown runs by Zach Umemoto late in the game led Kamiakin to a 28-0 victory in their season opener Friday night at Lampson Stadium.

"That is a well-coached Prosser team," said Braves coach Scott Biglin. "They are no slouch. It was two good teams playing football."

The Mustangs shut down the Braves' passing game in the first half as Joey Jansen managed 94 yards, 40 of them to Tim White on three receptions. Jansen, after missing last season with a torn ACL, was a bit rusty.

"That's the first game for Joey in a year and a half," Biglin said. "We had a game plan, we tried some things -- some worked, others didn't. To play this bad offensively and beat Prosser is a bonus for us."

It was the defense that put Kamiakin on the board with 3:21 to play in the first half.

Defensive lineman Chad Cuillier got his hands on a tipped ball at the Prosser 38 and rumbled toward the end zone with White as his wing man. The two ran into each about the 1-yard line, where Cuillier lost control of the ball. White was there to pick it up for a 1-yard fumble recovery for his first touchdown of the season.

"I didn't want it," White said of the touchdown. "I tried to lead him to the promised land and I ran into him."

The Mustangs held Kamiakin scoreless in the third, but the Braves infused a little life in their offense in the fourth quarter as Jansen hit A.J. Griffiths sprinting down the left sideline with a 51-yard touchdown pass just 1:33 into the quarter.

Umemoto added scoring runs of 14 and 26 yards the last 5:51 of the game. The junior running back had three carries for 35 yards -- all in the fourth quarter.

"They were a good team. We were getting so much pressure and Joey didn't have the time to make the reads," White said of the first half. "We did the things we had to do. It's a good feeling to be 1-0 and not 0-1."

While Prosser's offense failed to produce, the defense was had a few impressive moments.

The Mustangs intercepted Jansen twice -- once each by Ethan Groom and Larry Hall -- while Joey Hurtado blocked a punt and Charlie Peterson had a quarterback sack.

T.J. Finn threw for 125 yards for Prosser, while vaunted running back Isaac Anderson was held to 16 yards on 12 carries.

* Annie Fowler: 509-582-1574; afowler@tricityherald.com.

Kamiakin 28, Prosser 0

Prosser 0 0 0 0-- 0

Kamiakin 0 7 0 21 -- 28

SCORING PLAYS

K--White 1 fumble recovery (Bowe kick)

K--Griffiths 51 pass from Jansen (Bowe kick)

K--Umemoto 14 run (Bowe kick)

K--Umemoto 26 run (Bowe kick)

STATISTICS

RUSHING--P, Anderson 12-16, Hurtado 10-26, Wildman 1-3, Finn 3-9, Johnson 2-9. K, Wilmoth 5-7, Jansen 3-(minus-11), White 1-11, Davis 7-21, Umemoto 3-35.

PASSING--P, Finn 9-29-2-125, Fassler 1-4-0-5. K, Jansen 16-34-2-161.

RECEIVING--P, Raap 7-108, Anderson 1-12, Massingale 2-10. K, White 4-43, Griffiths 4-74, Swinyard 2-14, Wilmoth 2-3, Houser 3-18, McLean 1-2, Davis 1-5.

FUMBLES-LOST--P 2-1, K 2-0. PENALTIES-YARDS--P 18-145, K5-42.